A similar quote is often attributed to U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, but in fact she was citing (with minor variations) the original, which she had found very meaningful in her life.

American author John Augustus Shedd wrote the quote for his book of adages Salt from My Attic, published in 1928. Similar themes had been expressed by others before this, but not so succinctly.

This image is from a trip to the Galapagos Islands. We relaxed on shore for a few hours watching the unique seabirds for which the islands are known, snorkelling to see underwater fish including some small and lithe sharks and sharing a shallow sand pool by the water with a very inquisitive and confident baby seal!